District Election Officer (DEO), Rajouri, Om Prakash Bhagat today convened an important meeting with representatives from different political parties to brief them about Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The objective of the meeting was to underscore the importance of adhering to highest ethical standards outlined in the MCC to be observed by all in Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
The meeting served as a platform to sensitize political parties about the imperative nature of upholding integrity, fairness, and transparency throughout the electoral process. The discussions held during the meeting underscored the collective commitment of all political stakeholders towards fostering an environment characterized by ethical conduct, accountability, and respect for democratic principles as per ECI guidelines.
The DEO urged all political parties to refrain from criticizing any party based on unverified facts and cautioned against making personal comments or engaging in caste and communal politics. Furthermore, the DEO also urged all political parties to intimate the venue and time of their meetings and rallies to the police and administration in advance.
Additionally, the DEO asked the party representatives that polling agents should strictly adhere to the guidelines and refrain from entering the polling stations. The District Election Officer reiterated the pivotal role of political parties in upholding the democratic ethos of the nation and emphasized the need for cooperation and adherence to the guidelines set forth in MCC.
He urged all parties to conduct themselves with utmost integrity and responsibility, thereby setting a positive precedent for a free, fair, and peaceful electoral process. The DEO expressed confidence in the cooperation in conduct of political parties to the guidelines outlined, thereby fostering conducive environment for the smooth conduct of the Lok Sabha Elections.
A detailed briefing was given regarding mandatory pre-certification as per MCMC norms as required by all political parties/ candidates for all issues of advertisements and paid news. The political representatives were asked to ensure that with MCMC certification no advertisement is allowed.
Officers who attended the meeting were ADC Rajeev Kumar Khajuria; ACR, Mohammad Jhangir Khan; Dy DEO, Shakeel Ahmed; DPO, Mohammad Nawaz Choudhary and DSWO, Wakeel Ahmed Bhatt besides representatives of political parties were also present.